Boutique Hotels in Selma, AL

Perhaps one of the most pivotal cities in the Civil Rights movement, Selma still echoes its triumphant past. Today, you can find a unique mix of the old and the new, with a downtown corridor that offers an eclectic mix of Cajun, creole, and southern staples like grits and okra. When you book a room at Selma boutique hotels, you can experience southern charm mixed with modern-day convenience.

In 1965, Selma was the site of a major Civil Rights protest. The city's black residents were denied their right to vote, and they staged a peaceful march to Montgomery in order to bring attention to this injustice. Approximately 600 protesters marched on foot from Selma to the state capital in support of voting rights legislation.

During this march, they crossed one of Selma’s most iconic landmarks, the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They were met just six blocks outside of town at the bridge by state and local law enforcement and were turned back with billy clubs and tear gas; the national press soon began calling the day “Bloody Sunday.” Ten days later, a judge granted an order authorizing the march to Montgomery. On March 25, 1965, some 25,000 marchers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge on their way to Montgomery.

Today, you can walk along this same honorary stretch, led by Martin Luther King and John Lewis, now named the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. Established in 1996, and it commemorates the 1965 Voting Rights Campaign. The trail begins in downtown Selma at the Edmund Pettus Bridge and ends in Montgomery at the Alabama State Capitol, a 54-mile hike.

Don’t forget to check out the nearby Selma Civil Rights Memorial Park, home to the National Voting Rights Museum, which honors the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights marches that took place in 1965. The museum has exhibits on the history of voting rights in America, as well as interactive elements that allow visitors to see how far we've come towards equality. The museum also features an extensive collection of artifacts and documents related to the civil rights movement. There are also several art installations throughout the park, including sculptures depicting key moments from the marches and a memorial for those who died during them.

Be sure to stop by the storied Sturdivant Hall, a Greek-revival antebellum home that once belonged to Completed in 1856, it was the residence of Colonel Edward T. Watts. This 10-room mansion contains period furnishings, antique dolls and other artifacts from the Civil War. Today, Sturdivant Hall still stands as a testament to Selma's resilience. You can take a guided tour through the mansion as well as its slave quarters to get a glimpse of what life was like in the segregated South. It’s also rumored to be haunted, so keep your eyes peeled! Discover this storied gem of the South when you book your stay at Selma boutique hotels.

from the Civil War. Today, Sturdivant Hall still stands as a testament to Selma's resilience. You can take a guided tour through the mansion as well as its slave quarters to get a glimpse of what life was like in the segregated South. It’s also rumored to be haunted, so keep your eyes peeled! Discover this storied gem of the South when you book your stay at Selma boutique hotels.

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